Machine Tool Attachments & Accessories

The Look Ahead column in the April 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine features a portable 5-axis machine tool made from carbon composites.

Ray Tejeda, who owns Dream Tools Inc., talks about the motivation behind his patent-pending Dream Chuck Stop in the third episode of Cutting Tool Engineering's Shop Ingenuity video series. Tejeda demonstrates how his chuck stop provides clearance for cutting tools to machine through a part.

The Mencom modular insert series (MIXO) was designed to allow different types of connections housed in a single traditional rectangular enclosure. The types of connections range from small signal connectors with low amp and voltage, up to 200 amp connectors.

Precise metal machining creates new challenges for engineers and machinists to achieve maximum precision and surface quality on workpieces. However, precision doesn't just start at the machine tool, but is instead begins earlier in the manufacturing process—with the perfectly preset tool.

J.W. Winco Inc. offers GN 2180 and GN 2182 edge-protection seal profiles. These RoHS-compliant seal profiles, which can be used to seal doors, covers and hatches, are pressed by hand onto the front of metal sheets and plates.

BENZ Inc. has introduced a new product called NanoFix, a modular quick-change system for Swiss lathe live and static tools applications. The BENZ NanoFix modular quick-change system is designed for Swiss-type tooling with a minimum spindle distance of 22 mm and makes it simple to change tools inside the Swiss lathe in as little as 15 seconds.

In the USA, time is the most expensive component of the manufacturing process. Tool set up prior to any job being run represents a significant amount of that time, which is why tool presetters represent a monetary savings for any shop, because they save time. Haimer's new Microset tool presetting equipment streamlines tool setting processes, reducing set up times by as much as 70 percent, thereby minimizing idle time and increasing machine utilization.

Yamazaki Mazak Corp. and Murata Machinery, Ltd. (Muratec) have collaborated in the development of the MAZATEC SMS, an advanced manufacturing system designed to provide efficiency by performing unmanned machining. It incorporates the internal factory material handling technology of Muratec with the advanced horizontal machining centers and multi-tasking machine tools of Mazak Corp.

Heimatec offers live tooling for all popular models in the Hyundai, Miyano and Nakamura turning center lines. According to Preben Hansen, Heimatec president, "We're carrying a substantial inventory of live tools for our customers' machines now and it represents a substantial financial and warehouse space commitment we've made to support them in the North American market."

J.W. Winco Inc. offers 316L stainless steel GN 139.5 hinges with safety switch. The RoHS-compliant hinges with integrated safety switches are for use in monitoring doors and covers of machines and equipment. Opening the door activates the switch contacts, which causes an interruption in a protective circuit via broken contact (NC) and at the same time signals the door opening by closing a normally open contact element (NO).

The ASR1300 high-speed, direct-drive rotary stage from Aerotech Inc. achieves accelerations of up to 8,000 rad/s2 and reaches speeds greater than 1,500 rpm in only 90° of travel, making it suitable for demanding tube-handling applications and high-throughput manufacturing processes. The ASR1300's maximum speed of 3,000 rpm and its acceleration capability result from a full system-level optimization of the torque-to-inertia ratio.

SCANLAB GmbH offers a new collimation module to reportedly close a market gap for reliable connection of fiber-coupled lasers. This industrial-strength fiber coupler helps transform scan heads into a system to be easily integrated in laser processing machines.